Recreational vehicles of all types and classes are outfitted with a variety of features and conveniences. Fold-down bed doors are a common feature of recreational vehicles, particularly motor homes and towable trailers. Fold-down bed doors are hinged platforms that are built into interior or exterior walls of the vehicle or trailer so that the platform can pivot to an open horizontal “bed” position or a closed vertical “stowed” position. In the open horizontal position the platform may act as a bed or table. Typically, fold-down bed doors are manually lifted and lowered between the horizontal and vertical positions. Often these fold down platforms are mounted to the exterior of the vehicle as a pop out unit. Exterior fold down units have door seals and gaskets around the door jams and frames which insulate it from the elements.
In recreational vehicle applications heretofore, simple external lock mechanisms have been used to secure fold-down bed doors in their vertical closed positions. These external lock mechanism are not particularly suited for fold down bed doors in recreational vehicle applications. Externally mounted lock mechanisms are aesthetically undesirable and are readily accessible to tampering. In addition, loose pad locks, latches, hooks and other loose external lock parts can damage the laminated exteriors of the bed doors and recreational vehicle sides. Consequently, internal lock mechanisms are desirable in recreational vehicle applications. While desirable, the narrow width and laminate construction of conventional bed doors have made internal lock mechanisms impractical.
Furthermore, the external lock mechanisms commonly used in fold-down bed doors for recreational vehicles simply hold the platform in position and are not particularly suited for bed door applications in recreational vehicles. In addition to lifting a fold-down bed door into its closed vertical position, users must often physically push against the door to properly seat it against the door seal to create a good closure. Since exterior fold-down bed doors can be elevated some distance above the ground, users may have difficulty providing the leverage to push on the door and properly seat it against the door seal. Often bed doors must be properly seated, that is pressed against the door seal sufficient to compress the door seal, before a conventional lock mechanism can be engaged. This fact is an inconvenience when a user must struggle to physically lift and push on the bed door against the door seal while attempting to engage the lock mechanism.
Consequently, an internal lock mechanism that can be incorporated into the narrow laminate construction of a conventional bed door and that can draw a bed door down into proper contact with the door seal, as well as, securely lock the door in its vertical closed position is highly desirable for fold-down bed doors in recreational vehicle applications.